In forestry bedding operations it is usually desirable to precut a furrow as it is being plowed or tilled. This process eliminates, or at least reduces re-growth of weeds, competitive trees, grasses, etc. in the center of bed and thereby significantly improves the likelihood that planted seedlings will survive and thrive. Traditionally, precutting has been performed by fixed rippers and similar implements. Plows employing such devices normally must be pulled by relatively expensive tractors having sufficient horsepower to overcome stumps, rocks and other obstacles encountered by the plow. Moreover, when a fixed ripper engages an obstruction, the entire plow tends to be disrupted and there is usually a significant delay before the plow stabilizes. As a result, part of the bed proximate the obstruction may be poorly cultivated or missed by the plow entirely.
As an alternative to fixed rippers, offset harrow type plows have been used to precut or center-cut the bed. Also, standard bedding plows have been drawn in multiple passes over the bed. These techniques are typically time consuming, machinery intensive and quite costly. Virtually all of the known techniques for precutting forestry beds have been inefficient. Significantly improved efficiency is required, particularly for bedding operations in the forestry industry. At the same time, an effective center-cut and successful, high yield cultivation must be achieved.